


the ache for home lives in all of us (a safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned)

by Dontfloatthe100



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: I saw the trailer and i just had to, I'm so glad they decided to keep steve around and not make him a completely terrible person, Mom!Steve, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 23:37:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12420564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dontfloatthe100/pseuds/Dontfloatthe100
Summary: "Why the long face, Harrington?" Jonathan asked as Nancy passed Alex to him. The little girl made a little sound of discomfort before settling into her father's arms."I don't know, I guess I just never realized how grown up they all were."Nancy smiled sadly, leaning her head on Steve's shoulder. "They don't need you to protect them from monsters anymore.""No, they don't."Or the six times Steve Harrington was a mom to the kids, and the one time he didn't have to be.





	the ache for home lives in all of us (a safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned)

**Author's Note:**

> I hate myself I hate myself I hate myself

**1\. Eleven**  
  
Eleven returned to them two months ago. She was beginning to settle into her new life with the Byers, and was starting to learn just what it meant to be a normal kid her age. She had already made great leaps and bounds in her communication skills, but Joyce and Hopper agreed that she needed more help than they could give her. Eleven needed a specialist, someone trained to assist kids like her, or as like her as any kid without telekinetic superpowers can be.  
  
So they looked up a doctor in the phone book. She was a speech therapist, and she came highly recommended by people who had sent their kids to her before. Joyce and Hopper were convinced that this woman would be a good fit for Eleven.  
  
Eleven, however, wasn't so sure. Despite everyone's reassurances, including Mike's who's she usually took as gospel, she still felt nervous. What if the woman isn't kind to her like Joyce? Or what if the woman won't explain things to her like Mike? And the worst one yet, what if Eleven herself isn't good enough, isn't smart enough, to be like the other boys?  
  
Eleven was already feeling nervous that morning, when Joyce and Hopper told her that they wouldn't be available to pick her up. Jonathan immediately volunteered, but Hopper, ever the truancy officer, told him that he couldn't skip school. Eleven felt the familiar pang of anxiety in her stomach, but she didn't blame them. She didn't understand much about work, and why people needed jobs, but she knew they were important. And besides, Eleven spent so much time walking or biking around the town with her friends those past two months that she knew the place like the back of her hand.  
  
Eleven reassured herself of this when Hopper dropped her off. Mike had insisted on coming as well, before the start of school. Hopper patted her shoulder lightly, and Mike squeezed her hand and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek when Hopper's back was turned. Then they left, and Eleven knocked on the door of the house on Ridgedale Lane.  
  
The woman was nice, and she did explain things to Eleven, which she felt grateful for. But by the time they were done, Eleven didn't have much energy to be grateful for anything. She dreaded her walk home more than she had that morning.  
  
Eleven stepped out of the doorway and closed the door behind her. She turned back towards the street to see a beat-up black car with its windows rolled down. Inside was none other than Steve Harrington, wearing his usual smudged sunglasses and a striped shirt.  
  
"Hey there, short stack. I'm here to give you a ride home," Steve said, and motioned for her to get in the car.  
  
Eleven wanted to ask him why he wasn't in school, but she didn't feel like saying anything at all, let alone asking questions she was pretty sure she knew the answer to. Instead, she swung open the car door and sat down in the passenger's seat. She buckled her seatbelt like Joyce had showed her. Steve put the car in gear and took off down the road.  
  
"Jonny told me you had your first speech therapy class, and that no one would be around to pick you up. Lucky for you, I have Home Ec right now, and who needs that? Well, who needs most of the classes they make us take, eh?" Steve said.  
  
Eleven didn't answer. Instead she fiddled with the radio until she found a station she liked. They were playing The Clash.  
  
"Jonny's got you hooked on trash music. I'm gonna have to have a talk with him," Steve said, glancing over at Eleven with a goofy looking smirk on his face.  
  
Soon they were back at the Byers'. Eleven opened the door and stepped out of the car. When she walked around to his side, Steve rolled down the window. "Hey, are you sure you're okay by yourself? I can stick around here for a while if you need me to."  
  
Eleven nodded, and walked to the door. Steve waited for her to go inside. Eleven closed the door behind her,  but not before giving Steve a small wave. He smiled a little to himself as he put the car in gear and drove away. He checked the time. 12:30. Maybe it wasn't worth going back to school after all.

 

 **2\. Will**  
  
Steve pulled up to the Byers' house. Joyce's car was still in the driveway, but Jonathan's wasn't. They were supposed to be studying for this big history test. Steve wondered if Jonathan had blown him off.  
  
Steve put his car in park and stepped out onto the brown grass. Winter was in full swing and everything seemed muted in color. He walked up the steps to the porch and knocked on the door. As soon as he had knocked, the door swung open and Joyce stepped out, looking frazzled as ever in her grocery store uniform. Steve hastily stepped aside to make way for her.  
  
"Oh, Steve, I thought you were Lonnie. What are you doing here?" Joyce said quickly.  
  
"Jonny and I were gonna study, is he here?"  
  
"He got held up at work. Lonnie was gonna come by and pick up Will. Do you mind watching Will until he does? I'm sure it won't be too long..."  
  
"Sure thing, Mrs. Byers. Is Ellie here, too?"  
  
"No, she went over to Mike's house. She doesn't really like... well, she doesn't like Lonnie very much--" Joyce shook her head-- "Anyways, thank you so much for watching him." Joyce kissed his cheek and ran off towards her car before Steve could utter so much as a 'youre welcome.' He heard the engine stall for a moment, before starting up. Her tires screeched as she pulled out of the driveway and onto the street, taking off for the grocery store where she worked.  
  
Steve shook his head and walked inside. The place was always a little messy, and today was no exception. The sink was full of unwashed dishes, and there were pots and pans still on the stovetop. Steve walked over to make sure the stove was turned off, it wouldn't do to have a fire in the house, before noticing Will sitting at the kitchen table, drawing in his sketchbook.  
  
Steve took the seat next to Will, and looked at his drawing. Will looked up from his drawing.  
  
"What're you doing here?" Will asked.  
  
"Well, I'm supposed to be studying with Jonny, but he seems to be running late. Your mom just told me to watch you until your dad gets here."  
  
Will nodded his understanding, and muttered something about Jonathan always being late so he doesn't have to see his dad.  
  
"What're you drawing, little man?" Steve asked.  
  
"Well, I'm working on a portrait of--"  
  
Before he could finish, the shrill sound of the phone ringing pierced the air. Will looked towards it and sighed, as if he already knew who was on the other end. He stood up and walked over to the phone, picking it up off it's stand and holding it to his ear.  
  
"Hi dad," Will said.  
  
A pause.  
  
"Oh, okay."  
  
Another pause.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I understand. Okay, bye."  
  
Will put the phone back onto the receiver, looking deflated. He walked back to his drawing and picked up his pencil again, gripping it tighter than before. Steve felt a pang of sympathy. Neither spoke for a moment before Steve finally broke the silence.  
  
"He's not coming, is he?"  
  
Will looked up at Steve and nodded.  
  
Steve wasn't an expert in much. He wasn't particularly good in school, he wasn't the greatest player on the baseball team by a longshot. He wasn't even the greatest friend or boyfriend anyone could ever have. But boy did he know a thing or two about shitty fathers.  
  
"What were you two going to do?" Steve asked.  
  
"Go to a baseball game," Will said, putting his pencil back down, obviously too upset to focus on his artwork.  
  
Steve's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "But you don't like sports..."  
  
"I know, I just... it's something, you know?"  
  
"Yeah, believe me, I know."  
  
Will narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean you know?"  
  
Steve chuckled. "Trust me, kid, you and Jonathan aren't the only members of the shitty fathers club."  
  
Will pursed his lips and looked a little lost. "What do you.. what do you do, you know, when he disappoints you?"

"I don't know, I guess I stopped expecting much from him a long time ago. I used to grasp at anything he gave me, any little bit of acknowledgement or praise. But then I realized that he wasn't worth it, you know? He never took the time to get to know me, so he doesn't deserve my respect. And look at you, you're an amazing artist and a good friend. If Lonnie Byers doesn't take the time to see that, then he isn't worth your time."  
  
Will looked a little stunned, but soon a small smile spread across his face.  
  
"Thanks, Steve."  
  
Steve smiled and patted Will on the back. "Anytime, little Byers."

 

 **3\. Max**  
  
The moment Billy walked in, Max knew it was going to be one of his bad nights.  
  
Billy slammed the door behind him as he entered the house. He pulled a chair roughly out from under the table, the legs squeaking on the hardwood floors, making Max wince. He sat down in the chair and pulled a flask out from his pocket. Max picked up her book off the coffee table and began to flip through it, keeping one eye on her brother at the same time.  
  
Billy slammed his flask down on the table. "Can stop being so fucking loud?"  
  
"I'm not even doing anything," Max said, and immediately regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth. Billy stood up and stalked over to her on slightly wobbly legs.  
  
"What did you just say to me?" Billy asked menacingly.  
  
"N-nothing, Billy."  
  
"It didn't sound much like nothing," he said, attempting to grab her collar. She ducked and stepped to his side, making a beeline for her room. When she got there, she locked the door and pushed her desk chair up under the doorhandle. She then rushed to her closet as the footsteps grew closer and closer.  
  
"Come on out, Maxie, I just want to talk to you," Billy said, his voice slow and sickly sweet as molasses.  
  
Max pulled out her emergency phone from her closet and plugged it up to the wall. She then quickly dialed the number she had permanently memorized for situations like this.  
  
The phone wrung for a few moments as Billy banged on her door. Finally, the call went through, and a sleepy voice on the other line mutter a hello.  
  
"Steve, I need you to come get me," Max said, almost at a whisper. Almost immediately, Steve's voice perked up.  
  
"Okay, okay. You at your house? Is it Billy again?"  
  
"Yes and yes. Please hurry."  
  
She hung up and stuffed the phone back in her closet. She then pulled her go-bag out from under her bed, and the emergency ladder from under her desk. She opened the window and hooked the ladder to the window sill. She let it drop, the wrungs unfurling until they reached the ground. She waited for a minute or two until she saw Steve's car pull up to her house. She then carefully climbed out the window and down the ladder, looking up periodically to see if Billy had left the hallway or had noticed her missing.  
  
When she finally reached the ground, she yanked hard on the ladder, pulling it down. She quickly gathered it up and ran towards the car. She opened the car door and got in, throwing the ladder and bag into the back seat. She sat there, breathing heavy as Steve sped away from the house.  
  
They sat in silence for a few minutes, Max trying to get her heart rate under control. Steve looked ahead at the road.  
  
"Are you okay?" He didn't hurt you, did he?" Steve finally asked, a few minutes later.  
  
"No, he didn't. It was close, though."  
  
Steve simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief and clenched his jaw. He hated that Max had to live there. Her brother was like a ticking time bomb, and Steve worried that one day, he wouldn't be there to get her out before he exploded. Steve pushed the thought aside.  
  
"Where do you want to go. You can come to my place, or if you have somewhere else in mind..."  
  
"I was supposed to... to go over to the Wheeler's. For a sleepover with the boys and Eleven."  
  
"Okay, Wheeler's house it is, then," Steve said, trying to keep his voice cheery and upbeat.  
  
The rest of the ride was silent. Soon, they arrived and Max gathered up her stuff, putting the ladder into her backpack with her clothes. Steve frowned a little at the sight.  
  
"You haven't told them yet, have you?" Steve asked.  
  
Max shook her head. "I don't want them to worry."  
  
"They're your friends, they're meant to worry about you."  
  
Max sighed, and Steve decided not to push it any further. "Look, go have fun. Try to forget about tonight. And make sure to call me if you ever need me, night or day, okay?"  
  
Max smiled as she stepped out of the car. "Sure thing, Steve."

 

 **4\. Dustin**  
  
Steve, Jonathan, and Nancy were meant to be babysitting the kids while their parents went out. Steve figured that they put all of them in charge so Steve and Nancy or Nancy and Jonathan didn't blow it off in favor of "studying." Steve chuckled a little to himself. Currently, Nancy's head was on his shoulder and Jonathan's hand was on his thigh. Parents didn't always get everything right.  
  
They wouldn't dare be this open in front of their parents, but the kids were accepting and unquestioning in the way that only kids are. Steve often thought they were a godsend. Now was no exception.  
  
The boys were coming around to the end of their campaign, and their parents would be by soon to pick them up. Eleven and Max didn't usually like to play. Eleven thought it was too complicated, and she preferred to watch from the comfort of her blanket fort. Max just said it was too nerdy for her, but she would rather be with her friends than be at home, so she sat with Eleven in her fort.  
  
"You enter the cave, the light is dim. Suddenly, you hear a booming noise coming from the other end of the cavern. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!" Mike said, banging his fist on the table for emphasis.  
  
The other boys began to panic, Lucas urging Will to cast a quick protection spell, while Dustin urged him to wait.  
  
Max looked up from the comic book she was holding in her hands. "You all are a bunch of nerds, you know that?"  
  
"And yet, you put up with us," Lucas called back. Max shrugged and went back to her comic book.  
  
Steve watched the scene unfold. Will and Lucas seemed focused on the game and whatever was lurking on the other side of the cavern; Dustin, however, seemed preoccupied. His eyes flitted from the game to Max every few seconds. The look on his face was not unlike the look he saw on Jonathan's when he looked at Nancy, or at him for that matter. Steve wondered how he hadn't seen it before.  
  
"Dustin, focus!" Will said.  
  
"Yeah, sorry."  
  
Dustin's eyes focused back on the game. Steve turned to Jonathan.  
  
"Shit Jonny, Dustin has a crush on Max."  
  
"Nice observation, captain obvious," Jonathan quipped, Nancy giggled.  
  
"Wait, you knew and you didn't bother to tell me?"  
  
"If we did, we knew you'd try to get involved, and you know what happens when you try to get involved," Nancy said.  
  
"When I get involved, monsters get killed. Don't you remember last November?" Steve said.  
  
"I seem to recall a lot of screaming, mostly from you," Jonathan said, a good natured smirk  
  
"Oh come on, you gotta admit, my bat swinging was pretty damn impressive."  
  
"Yeah, it was. But Steve, please don't mess with this," Nancy said.  
  
"Come on, you know these kids. They would rather wait till fuckin' pigs fly before they actually do anything productive. And besides, I won't write any love letters and say it's from the other person, or some corny shit like that. I'm just gonna give him some advice, that's all."  
  
"And you think you know enough to give him advice about dating?" Jonathan asked.  
  
"Well, I happen to be dating the two prettiest people in Hawkins, Indiana. That has to count for something," Steve said. Jonathan hit his arm, blushing. Nancy buried her face in his neck, and mumbled a quick 'you're an idiot, Steve Harrington.'  
  
"You're beautiful, Nancy Wheeler," Steve whispered back, kissing the top of her head. Jonathan watched them with a warm smile on his face.  
  
Soon, they're parents were back and they had to wrap up the game. Lucas was the first to leave, walking one house over to get to his own. Next was Will, Eleven, Jonathan, and Max, who was going to sleep over at the Byers' house. Finally, only Dustin was left. Steve offered to walk him home.  
  
"You know I live only like three blocks away?"  
  
"Yeah, but three blocks is a long way when you're in the dark. Trust me."  
  
Dustin just shrugged and walked out of the door, shouting his goodbyes to Mike. They walked in silence for a moment, before Steve spoke up.  
  
"So, Max huh?" Steve asked.  
  
"What about her?"  
  
"Come on, I know you like her."  
  
"Of course I don't! She's just a friend."

"That's what Mike said before he asked Eleven out. Now look at them."  
  
Dustin was silent for a moment. "Yeah, so what if I do?"  
  
"Then you should tell her, dufus."  
  
Dustin shook his head. "No thank you. What if she doesnt like me back? What if we ruin our friendship over something as stupid as a crush?"  
  
"First of all, I know her. She wouldn't call you a nerd if she didn't like you. She would call you a fucking asshole. And second of all, Max doesn't have many friends to speak of. She would never let herself ruin the ones she does have."  
  
"Then what would you have me do?" Dustin asked half-sarcastically.  
  
"If there's one thing Max appreciates, it's honesty. If you're up front with her, if you don't beat around the bush, she'll respect you way more. And flowers never hurt."  
  
"You think that Max, Mad Max, would like flowers?"  
  
"All girls like flowers."  
  
Dustin shook his head. "You're insane, Steve Harrington."  
  
Steve laughed as they arrived at Dustin's house. Dustin walked up to the front door and opened it. He stood there for a moment, and then looked back.  
  
"Hey, Steve?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome, short stack."

 

 **5\. Mike**  
  
Mike stepped out of the front doors of the school, making his way through the crowd of people. When he finally reached the bike rack, it was already 3:15. He had promised El that he would get home earlier today. She was sick, for the first time ever, and she was miserable. Mike figured that her immune system was probably weak from all the years spent away from most germs, so she wasn't taking it well.  
  
Mike unlocked the chain and wrapped it around the handle bars. He backed the bike up a little, not looking where he was going. His bike his something lightly, and Mike turned around.  
  
"Oh shit, I'm so sorry, I--"  
  
"Yeah, you will be, Wheeler," Troy's familiar voice spoke, and Mike felt a hot spike of anger run through him.  
  
"What do you want, Troy?" Mike deadpanned.  
  
"Wow, you're pretty brave, Frogface, seeing as your freak girlfriend isn't here to protect you. Or is she even a girl? I couldn't tell." Troy sneered at him and Mike clenched his fist.  
  
"Don't talk about her that way!"  
  
"Are you gonna stop me, Wheeler? I don't think you've got the guts."  
  
Mike, in a surge of anger, pushed Troy back, knocking him off balance. Troy, a look of shock and anger painting his features, raised a fist. Mike flinched and shrunk back, ready for the hit. But after a few moment of nothing, Mike looked up to see none other than Steve Harrington, holding Troy back.  
  
"Come on now, you wouldn't want to do anything rash," Steve said.  
  
"Get off me, Harrington! This isn't about you!"  
  
"That's where you're wrong. Mike's girlfriend sent me to get him, and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't respond well if Mike had a black eye."  
  
Fear flashed in Troy's eyes as he stopped struggling. Steve, confident that his message was understood, let him go. Troy shook himself off and walked away slowly.  
  
"Troy!" Steve called, making the younger boy stop dead in his tracks. "Next time I hear that you messed with Mike or any of his friends, I'll kick your ass."  
  
Troy scowled and walked away quicker than before. Steve turned back to Mike.  
  
"You okay, Mikey?"  
  
"Yeah, fine."  
  
"Good. I wasn't kidding about Eleven. She's worried about you, and she's sick. Not a good combination, trust me."  
  
Mike nodded and got on his bike. "Hey, Steve," he said.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thank you, but I can fight my own fights."  
  
"I know you can, kid. Now go on. Wouldn't want to keep her waiting."

 

 **6\. Lucas**  
  
Lucas swung his bat in front of him, trying in vain to hit the ball that Steve threw at him.  
  
Lucas had mentioned once, in passing, that he wanted to try out for the baseball team. They were all watching a movie, some baseball flick from the 70s. Lucas just happened to say that he would like to play baseball and maybe he wanted to join the team, and Steve was all over him, offering to train him or coach him or whatever. Lucas couldn't refuse if he wanted to, and he did want to.  
  
He was almost sure Steve could tell that his heart wasn't really in it. But then again, Steve was notoriously obtuse about some things.  
  
"It's okay, kid. We can try again," Steve said, trying to be encouraging.  
  
"Screw that! I'm not getting any better. In fact, it looks like I'm getting worse! It's not even worth it," Lucas said, throwing his bat down and sitting in the grass. Steve frowned and walked over, taking a seat next to him.  
  
"Hey, I know it's frustrating. At first, I didn't know what to do with a bat either. It just takes practice, that's all," Steve said lightly.  
  
"I don't want to practice. I don't even want to do this."  
  
Steve frowned. "Then why'd you say you wanted to join up?"  
  
"I don't know! I guess I do, a little bit. But I have to, so I need to get better ."  
  
"You have to?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Why, it's not a requirement?"  
  
"I don't know, okay? Maybe I'm just tired of people picking on me, calling me racist shit like Midnight! Maybe if I was on a sports team, people wouldn't treat me like dirt!" Lucas yelled, pulling up wads of grass between his clenched fists.  
  
Steve was silent for a few moments, before he found the right words to say. "You know, you shouldn't do things because you feel like you have to. You should do stuff cause you want to."  
  
"What would you know about that? You always do whatever you want."  
  
Steve sighed. "I was friends with Tommy and Carol for a really long time. We grew up together. I watched them become terrible people and I didn't say anything or do anything because I was afraid that if I left them, I wouldn't have any friends left. I didn't leave because I thought that it would be better to have asshole friends than to have none at all. I let them turn me into someone I wasn't just because I was afraid to be alone. That's not a reason to stay with someone. It's better to not do something at all than do something and hate it every step of the way."  
  
Lucas sat in a shocked silence. He really hadn't thought Steve capable of such an emotional admission. He felt a little bad now for all the assumptions he'd made about Steve in all the time he'd known him.  
  
"So you think I should quit?"  
  
"I think you should do what makes you happy."  
  
Lucas nodded and looked out across the tops of the trees. He wondered how far away they reached. Out of Hawkins, surely. In the times when being in a small town was like having the air sucked out of his lungs, Lucas often looked across the tree line, imaging all the places he could go beyond them.  
  
Steve smiled and followed Lucas' line of sight. They sat for a while, watching the sky.

 

 **+1**  
  
**Hawkins, Indiana.**  
**Christmas, 1995**  
  
It was snowing outside the Wheeler's house, the flakes beginning to pile up on the lawns and roads. The inside was warm, though, so that's where they stayed. It was the first time in two years that Steve had been back to Hawkins. He had more of a reason this time. That reason was laying in his arms, squirming and crying a little for her bottle.  
  
Her name was Alexandra Wheeler, and she was perfect. Ten fingers and ten toes. To be fair, Steve would think she was perfect even if she had 15 toes and 35 fingers. But that was besides the point.  
  
Nancy insisted that their daughter's first Christmas should be spent with her family, all of her family. Jonathan and Steve agreed, under the condition that they would go nowhere near Steve's family. They were all in agreement about that.  
  
Steve was trying so hard not to be his dad. He hoped it was working.  
  
Eleven sat down next to him on the basement couch, peering curiously at Alex. Steve shifted her in his arms. "Hey El, you wanna hold her while I go warm up a bottle? It won't be long."  
  
Eleven nodded almost too eagerly, and Steve laughed. He carefully lifted her into El's arms. El smiled down at the bundle in her arms. Steve stood up and walked over to the kitchen.  
  
Lucas stood by the sink, washing dishes. Steve walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle. He then pulled out a small sauce pan and walked back over to the sink.  
  
"You mind?" Steve asked, gesturing to the sink. Lucas stepped back.  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
Steve filled the pot with water and set it down on the burner, turning the heat to low. He turned back to Lucas.  
  
"How's the company going?" Steve asked, wiping his hands on his jeans.  
  
"Pretty good. Silicon Valley is tough, but I think we might actually make it." Lucas looked so proud of himself.  
  
"I'm glad. Computing software for spaceships? That's pretty damn big."  
  
"Yeah, I guess it is."  
  
"Got anything else going on? A lady friend I should know about?" Steve asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.  
  
"Nope, and I wouldn't tell you if I did."  
  
"You wound me, Sinclair," Steve said, voice dripping with sarcasm. Lucas smiled, looking down at his dishes.  
  
The water began to simmer. Steve put the bottle in for a minute or so, and then tested it on his skin. It was warm, but not scalding. Perfect.  
  
"I gotta go feed Alex," Steve said, gesturing towards the basement.  
  
"Yeah, go ahead."  
  
Steve nodded and walked away. He descended the steps rapidly. At the bottom, he found Mike, leaning against the railing, a lovestruck look on his face. It wasn't hard to figure out what he was looking at.  
  
"You two thinking of having one of your own yet?" Steve asked. Mike whipped his head around, choking on his own breath.  
  
"No, no, g-d no. Not yet. I mean, we're only 24. That's way too young."  
  
"You were the one who got married to El right out of high school cause you couldn't wait any longer," Steve pointed out.  
  
"Yeah well, it's different and you know it."  
  
"Yeah, it is."  
  
"What's it like?" Mike asked after a moment.  
  
"What's what like?"  
  
"Being a dad?"  
  
"It's... crazy and insane and you worry that one wrong move and you'll fuck up this kid's life forever. But it's also amazing, too. There's this little person that didn't exist before you and completely relies on you and will love you forever. It's a lot to process." Mike nodded.  
  
"But we're lucky. We have three people who can change a dirty diaper in the middle of the night, not just two."  
  
Mike laughed a little, his attention focused back on El and Alex. Steve patted him on the back and walked back to the couch, sitting down. El reluctantly handed Alex back to him, and Steve set to work feeding her. She took the bottle into her mouth almost immediately and began to suck.

Steve looked back over at El. "So, Mike says you might want one of your own one day," Steve said.  
  
"He did?"  
  
"Yeah. Is it true then?"  
  
El nodded quietly, staring down at Alex. "I hope, if we do, that they're normal, like Mike."  
  
Steve frowned. He understood not wanting their child to be burned with El's powers, but he thought El was past feeling out of place, feeling like a weirdo.  
  
"Have you seen Mike recently? He's about as abnormal as they come. You're pretty evenly matched. And besides, if there's anyone who could deal with a kid who has super powers, it's you two," Steve said.  
  
"Thanks," El said with a smile.  
  
"You should tell Mike how you feel about it. He loves you so much, he would want to know."  
  
"Yeah, I will," El said.  
  
Steve smiled and watched her as El got up to go talk to Mike. Suddenly, he felt another weight next to him on the couch.  
  
"Hand her over, nerd. I want to feed my niece," Max said, holding out her arms.  
  
Steve sighed and handed the bundle over to her. Max held Alex in her arms with a gentleness she rarely applied to her daily life.  
  
"You know, I'm 27 years old, I think it's time to stop calling me a nerd," Steve said.  
  
Max laughed. "I'll stop calling you a nerd when you stop acting like one."  
  
"Touché."  
  
Across the room, Dustin exited the bathroom and went to go stand by Mike and Eleven. They struck up some sort of conversation, laughing together once in a while. Max stared at Dustin, and Steve followed her gaze. There was a rectangular shaped bulge in Dustin's pocket. It only took him seconds to figure out what it was.  
  
"Shit Max, is that...?"  
  
"Yeah. I found the box in our dresser three weeks ago. He thinks he's being sneaky," Max said, smiling.  
  
"Are you gonna say yes?"  
  
"I think I just might."  
  
Steve smiled proudly at her. Max looked over at him, her eyes shining with confusion.  
  
"What's that look for?"  
  
"I'm just proud of you, that's all."  
  
"What for?"  
  
_For being strong enough to keep moving. For getting up every day despite everything you've been through. For not letting your past control your life._  
  
"Can't I be proud of my little sis?" Steve said.  
  
Max shook her head and laughed as Alex finished up her bottle. Steve reached out and took her from Max. "Wow, little miss, you finished that up quickly."  
  
Max shook her head, a small smirk on her face. She got up to go see what El, Mike, and Dustin were talking about. Steve maneuvered Alex so she was pressed up against his chest and patted her back lightly, trying to get her to burp. After a moment, Alex made a small sound signalling that the bubble of air in her stomach had passed. "Good girl," Steve whispered, kissing her forehead.  
  
Steve heard the floor boards creek as Will Byers walked over and stood next to the couch. He hesitated to hold Alex, even if Nancy, Steve, or Jonathan was helping. Instead, he contented himself with just watching his niece squirm around in her blanket. Steve smiled at Will.  
  
"I feel like I haven't had a chance to talk to you since I've been here," Will said.  
  
"Yeah, and there's so much to catch up on."  
  
Will hummed in agreement.  
  
"How's that guy you were dating? James, was it?" Steve asked.  
  
"We're still together. We just moved into an apartment," Will said, smiling happily.  
  
"Really? Congrats, man. Why isn't he here with us?" Steve asked.  
  
"He couldn't get off work. He's doing his residency at New York General."  
  
"Yeah, I remember. Well, tell him to try to come around for Easter. We'd love to see him again."  
  
"Yeah, I--"  
  
"Will! Come here, we need you to settle a bet," Max called. Will smiled at Steve and walked over to join his friends.  
  
Steve looked back down at his daughter. She was settling down and her eyelids were drooping.  
  
"Hot chocolate?" a familiar voice said in front of him.

He looked up to see Nancy and Jonathan walking towards him, holding mugs of hot chocolate for the three of them. Nancy placed his and Steve's mug down and reached for her daughter. Steve handed Alex to her as Jonathan sat down next to him.  
  
"Hello, sweet girl," Nancy said, nuzzling Alex's cheek and sitting next to Steve.  
  
"Did she eat?" Jonathan asked.  
  
"Yep. Quite an appetite on this one," Steve said, looking fondly at his daughter.  
  
"I wonder where she gets that from," Jonathan quipped, smirking.  
  
"I cannot believe it. My own partner has betrayed me. Is nothing sacred?" Steve said melodramatically. Nancy and Jonathan both rolled their eyes. A comfortable silence settled over the trio.  
  
Steve looked up at the kids who weren't really kids anymore. Lucas had joined them and they were all laughing about something or other. Steve wondered when they had all gotten so big. They were all married or about to be. They had jobs and companies and lives that didn't revolve around school. Steve felt incredibly proud, and a little sad. Well, maybe not sad. Just reminiscent.  
  
"Why the long face, Harrington?" Jonathan asked as Nancy passed Alex to him. The little girl made a little sound of discomfort before settling into her father's arms.  
  
"I don't know, I guess I just never realized how grown up they all were."  
  
Nancy smiled sadly, leaning her head on Steve's shoulder. "They don't need you to protect them from monsters anymore."  
  
"No, they don't."  
  
"It was bound to happen evetually," Jonathan whispered, not wanting to wake Alex who had just drifted off to sleep.  
  
"Yeah, I know. But it makes me wonder if this one is gonna grow up just as quick," Steve said, rubbing his daughters cheek gently with one finger.  
  
"Yeah, she will. It happens to all of us. But we get to be there for all of it. That's what matters, I think," Jonathan said.  
  
Steve nodded and smiled as the snow fell heavy outside of the window.

**Author's Note:**

> Trying to get back into the stranger things fanfiction game before the new season. More to come soon.


End file.
